Newbie asking for help with Nihonto. THANK YOU

[Dave J]

Hello, thank you for letting me participate in your forum, it is appreciated. I am 55 yrs old and have resided in s Florida all of my life. Have had an interest in Nihonto for awhile but events over the last 15 years or so have hindered me a bit from seriously collecting anything. (3 different times other family members have moved in w/my wife and I for several years at a time. This has taken a lot of our time and resources) App a year ago I purchased my 1st Nihonto. Thought I may have to sell not long after acquiring as my son was starting college but have been able to keep, at least for the time being. As time has permitted I have been researching the sword off and on for the last app year. My knowledge at this point is extremely limited to say the least. I have searched the net and purchased "The Connoisseur's Book" and am trying to decide which book(s) to obtain next. The sword that I obtained is a Suriage Nakago I believe w/mei of Kanemoto. I have been trying to determine over the last year if it is a 2nd generation or later generation. There appear to me (someone with little knowledge) to be characteristics that may indicate 2nd gen and some that seem to indicate later. I am going to try to load pics and hope they load, I am not very computer literate. The Sanbon-Sugi hamon is a bit uniform and regular, but the boshi forms jizo. I am under the impression that "uniform" hamon may indicate later and boshi may indicate 2nd gen(?) The Nagasa is app 30 1/4" w/sori of app 3/4". The sori appears to me (which means little or nothing) to be Tori-Sori possibly leaning towards Koshi-Sori. Due to the uniformity of the hamon I had basically discounted it being 2nd generation however, Bonhams Auction had listed a couple of Kanemoto's that were attributed to 2nd generation eventhough the hamon was very similar to this sword. I was hopeful that the board members may comment on their opinion as far as the generation that may have produced this sword. I hope the pics are sufficient. iThank you for your time and consideration, it is much appreciated !! Dave J

[Brian]

Hi Dave,

viewforum.php?f=8 to see why your pics aren't uploading. Usually they are too big...size does count here :D

Post the reply here with pics, let's not open a new topic for them. If you still battle with pics, there are a number of helpful ppl who can assist.

 

Regards,

Brian

[Dave J]

THANK YOU for responding. From what I can gather the file/pics are too large as they are app 2.2. I believe more than 1 is not accepted. Unfortuanately I am not smart enough to know how to resolve. Went to my pics/files and apparently may not have software(?) to reduce or can't figure out how. I believe I can e-mail to someone else if they can post? THANK YOU !! Dave J

[John A Stuart]

Sure, send them to me and I will post them in this thread. John

penteron@hotmail.com

[Dave J]

Hello, e-mailed some pics. I appreciate your help !! THANK YOU, Dave

[John A Stuart]

It looks like Kanemoto. 兼元 The first kanji is oddly written I think. John

[John A Stuart]

Well, it is definitely Mino with a sanbonsuji hamon, jizu boshi, maybe a later generation, but, I looked at quite a few generations and neither the Kane or moto kanji are written in this fashion. John

[Dave J]

Hello, just replied to your info but not showing up. Thank you John for posting the pics. I obtained the sword w/koshirae and am hoping to provide/post pics of the tsuba and furniture also. Has interesting Echizen Kinai tsuba w/matching furniture. I am hoping my son will be by in the next few days to help me on the computer to be able to minimize pics. I will be glad to e-mail pics to board members if needed or wanted for posting. I probably will not be able to post until I get some help w/computer. I appreciate the help and any comments and am hoping to provide pics of the tsuba, etc soon. THANK YOU !! Dave

[Bazza]

Gentle Folk,

 

If I might suggest, this is not a Jizo boshi. The boshi is midareba and it appears Jizo-like by the gonome peak returning 'down' to a maru to return to the mune. The midare boshi with takanoha yasurime indicate Koto Mino. I agree the KANEMOTO kanji are decidely "off", but we must remember there are many Kanemoto lines in Mino, not only Magoroku - as Dr Malcolm Cox's compenduim reminds us. I have the MINOTO TAIKAN and will have a trawl for this kind of mei. Dunno when I can do it as our neighbour has just had a fall due to his replacement hip joint collapsing. He is in hospital for we don't know what, and my wife and I are "on call" to help his wife and kids wherever we can. Anybody else free to trawl the MINOTO TAIKAN???

 

Best regards,

BazZa.

[John A Stuart]

That is one of the references I checked, Minoto Taikan pg 64 to 73. Like you say there were many smiths using Kanemoto as a name. The 'Moto' kanji in none of them drops in this fashion. They either are horizontal or tend to an upwards slant on the final stroke. Too, the 'Kane' character is not fashioned in this configuration. As I have mentioned at other times, I am not a calligrapher, however, they don't show the mainline characteristics. It may have been someone within the Kanemoto Ha (Seki) concurrent with Kanemoto IV due to the swords characteristics, but, not in the direct line. As to the boshi Barry, is it not precisely midare-komi with togari and longish kaeri that creates the jizo boshi? here is one of Clive's oshigata that illustrate my point. I hope Clive doesn't mind. John

[Bazza]

John,

 

Right now I don't have time to respond more fully (I'm in editor mode knocking out an antique arms collectors magazine), but for the sake of the discussion can I refer those stalwart souls still interested in this thread to here, a discussion on Magoroku Kanemoto:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3448

 

I'm interested in this (current) thread because I do have a very nice ca 1600 Kanemoto katana, and "in care" for a friend I'm holding a mumei suriage katana (may never have been signed) with takanoha yasurime that the Sydney Shinsa called to Owari Seki. I'm beginning to think that the subject sword is a genuine Mino "something, somewhere" with a gimei.

 

Regards,

Barry Thomas

aka BaZZa.

[nihonto1001]

Dave J:

 

I live in South Florida. I would like to take a close look at your kanemoto. Give me a call 561-201-xxxx. (Edited out by Admin. Probably not a good idea to post your tel. number on a public forum. Pm rather.)

 

Jon

[Clive Sinclaire]

John

On first sight of the kissaki and boshi on this sword I thought it looked like shinshinto Mino work. The example on my oshigata was also shinshinto (Shizu Saburo Kaneuji) and, if my memory serves me, was a late Kanesada who changed his name to Kaneuji.

Regards

Clive Sinclaire

PS: Of course I don't mind you using my oshigata, that's one of the reasons I draw them. (just can't believe it was 12 years ago that I did it!)

[Curran]

Dave,

 

There are a few of us living in various parts of south Florida. You may wish to indicate which coast and roughly where, then consider a visit with the appropriate person if they are willing.

 

Also soon there is the (last) Tampa Sword Show held the 2nd weekend of February (12, 13, 14?) at the Tampa Marriott. If anywhere near, you maybe should consider attending that one day.

[Dave J]

Hello, and first off THANK YOU John for posting the pics for me, it was more than appreciated. I appreciate the comments and info. Was trying to find out a bit more to guide me in the right direction to more research. I would enjoy showing the sword to someone in the area and would look forward to learning more about the sword. I live in sw Fla not far from Ft Myers. I am going to provide my e-mail address and hope that is not against any rules or regs. You can contact me at my wife's e-mail address as I do not have one. I will get the message. Had seen that the Fla show was in Tampa during Feb as you mentioned and am not too far away. Was already making plans to attend one day and view the swords and other items. I appreciate your time and consideration and I appreciate being able to participate in the forum. THANK YOU, Dave J

[kuromido]

Also soon there is the (last) Tampa Sword Show held the 2nd weekend of February (12, 13, 14?) at the Tampa Marriott. If anywhere near, you maybe should consider attending that one day.

 

Hello, I am sorry that this might be off topic but you said the "last" tampa sword show?

Can you enlighten me on this?

 

Thanks

Peter D

[Brian]

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6512

 

But some possible good news: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6704

 

(Nothing slips past the NMB :lol: )

 

Brian